About Bangalore

Bangalore

Bangalore, also known as Bengaluru, is often referred to as the ‘Garden City’ because of the numerous parks and gardens that dot the localities of the city. It is also considered as a major information technology (IT) hub of the country and thus called the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. Kempe Gowda, a feudal ruler affiliated to the Vijayanagara kingdom, first established a mud fort, which turned out to be the foundation of the present day city. The city passed through a myriad of rulers ranging from the Marathas, Mughals and Mysore rulers before becoming a part of independent India.

Budget Hotels in BangaloreThere are a couple of good budget hotels in the city. Some of the options which are worth a try are Suntrupthi Residency (Tariff – Rs. 950), Citizen Lodge (Tariff – Rs. 850), The Royal Nest (Tariff – Rs. 900), Vijaya Residency (Tariff – Rs. 900) and others.

LanguageThe official language of Bangalore is Kannada. Hindi, English, Telugu and Tamil are also understood and widely spoken.

Events in BangaloreThe important festivals of the area are Pongal in January, Karaga in April, Ganesh Chathurthi in August-September, Diwali in October-November, the fasting month of Ramadan, the two Eid(s), Easter and Christmas.

Places to See in BangaloreSome of the places worth trying out in Bangalore are Bangalore Palace, Lal Bagh, Cubbon Park, Bannerghatta National Park,Vidhana Soudha, Seshadari Iyer Memorial, Tipu Sultan’s Palace, Bull Temple, ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple, Meenakshi Sundaram Temple, Holy Trinity Church and St. Mary’s Basilica. Wonderla Amusement Park at a distance of 28 km is popular with youngsters and children looking for a break on weekends.

How to Get There

Air:The nearest airport is the Kempegowda International Airport at a distance of 36 km.

Rail:Bangalore City Junction Railway Station is the major railway station in the city.

Bus:There is bus service running from almost everywhere in south India to Bangalore city. State transport buses as well as private operators ply their buses to and fro the city. SRS Travels, Kallada Travels and SRM, Travels are some of the major operators in the city as well as the region. Do away with standing in ticket counters and opt for online bus reservation facility instead.

About Sri Kalahasthi

Sri Kalahasthi

A holy town near Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, Sri Kalahasthi lies on the banks of Swarnamukhi river. This is a picturesque town surrounded by hillocks and is known for its temple. According to mythology, lord Shiva masqueraded as vayu (air) and watched the spider (Sri), cobra (Kala) and the elephant (Hasti) worship him wholeheartedly in this place. Therefore, he granted them salvation and thus, this town came to be known as Sri Kalahasthi.

Places to StayThere are several budget hotels for pilgrims and tourists coming to Sri Kalahasthi. Some of them include Hotel Jayaam (Tariff –Rs. 750), Hotel KSR Grand (Tariff –Rs. 843) and Ramas Residency (Tariff –Rs. 900).

LanguageTelugu is the local language of Sri Kalahasthi.

EventsMahashivaratri celebrated in February-March is one of the major events held in Sri Kalahasthi. The car procession during the festival attracts a huge number of devotees to the town.

Places of InterestApart from the Sri Kalahasthi Temple in the town, the other places nearby worth visiting are Thottambedu (6 km), Tirupati (35 km) and Venkatgiri (38 km).

How to Get There

Air:Tirupati Airport, which is 26.4 km away, is the nearest from this town.

Rail:The major railway station connecting this town to other places is the Tirupati Railway Station (37 km).

Bus:Buses are available from Tirupati, Chennai and Gudur. State-run buses cater to passengers travelling on this route. Browse through several bus booking portals and avail of cheapest bus tickets.